29: The Yan Dynasty was in great chaos

[Year Thirteen,]

[While you were studying Alchemy, you also taught your disciple Xue Miaoyun. Unexpectedly, this girl's talent was astounding, and she was often able to point out oversights in your Alchemy instead.]

[With her help, your Alchemy skills advanced by leaps and bounds, and you finally succeeded in refining your first batch of obstacle breaking pills.]

[Year Fourteen, you mastered the refining method for true qi pellets.]

[Year Fifteen, under Xue Miaoyun's guidance, you achieved the unprecedented feat of refining a realm breaking pill.]

[Holding the long-awaited realm breaking pill, your hands were trembling slightly.]

["Give it to your father."] You handed the Medicinal Pill to Xue Miaoyun.]

[The little girl shook her head: "No need, Daddy already secretly prepared two of them."]

[You were stunned—it turned out the realm breaking pill she gave you in the last simulation was actually left to her by her parents!]

[A warm current surged in your heart, but you said nothing. In any case, she knew how to perform Alchemy now.]

[You suddenly remembered that your younger sister might go missing next year, so you decided to set out and return to Longyang Town.]

[Xue Yuntao pleaded with you to stay for two more months to act as his Protector while he attempted a Breakthrough to Great Grandmaster; you agreed.]

[Two months later, the successfully promoted Xue Yuntao and his wife stood at the city gate, reluctantly watching you leave.]

[Xue Miaoyun was pestering you relentlessly to follow along, so you had no choice but to take this little tag-along on the road with you.]

[Year Sixteen,]

[Ever since you brought Xue Miaoyun back to the Qin Family, your mother Lin Xueping has been chatting with the young girl every day.]

[Your father urged you to get married, but you managed to brush him off.]

[You noticed something very wrong with your sister Qin Yu—she often disappeared, and when she returned, she would remain silent.]

[This evening, Qin Yu suddenly approached you: "Brother, it's time to take up the burden of the Qin Family. Xue Miaoyun is quite nice, you should start a family too."]

["Is something on your mind?" you asked bluntly.]

["Some things are better left unknown. You have your secrets, and I have mine," she said with unusual seriousness.]

[This was the most normal conversation you two had ever had.]

[You felt she was heavy-hearted, but since she didn't speak, you didn't ask much more.]

[At dawn, Qin Yu disappeared.]

[She left a letter saying she wanted to go out and explore the world.]

[Year Eighteen, you left two obstacle breaking pills for your parents and then set off for the Imperial Capital with Xue Miaoyun.]

[Just as you returned to the Imperial Capital, Cheng Wenbo arrived with Cheng Rongrong for a visit.]

[In the courtyard, Cheng Rongrong and Xue Miaoyun were smiling on the surface, but inside they were cursing; their hundreds of schemes were spinning rapidly, as neither could stand the sight of the other.]

[You and Cheng Wenbo were plotting inside the room. After hearing your plan, Cheng Wenbo slammed the table in admiration: "Brilliant! This interlocking scheme is vicious enough; the great cause will surely succeed!"]

[Year Nineteen, the Medicine Bodhisattva Zhang Renjing was murdered, and the Zhang Residence was bathed in blood.]

[Year Twenty, the Cheng Family, the Dukes Residence, and the Martial Alliance incited a rebellion, throwing the Yan Dynasty into great chaos. At the same time, various regions declared independence with their own troops, and the imperial court was unable to suppress them.]

[Year Twenty-One,]

[You were researching martial arts when you suddenly heard the sound of fighting coming from the direction of the Imperial Palace.]

[You climbed a tall building to look—three Great Grandmasters were besieging Xiao Tianci!]

[You saw Cheng Wenbo, Fang Yanbo, and Yue Tianxiong joining forces; Xiao Tianci's golden body was showing faint signs of cracking.]

[Suddenly, Cold Dustless succeeded in a sneak attack, breaking Xiao Tianci's golden body.]

[The four Great Grandmasters joined forces and finally killed Xiao Tianci.]

[Shouts of killing immediately erupted from within the Imperial Palace.]

[You took the opportunity to slip into the Martial Arts Academy to scavenge for Secret Manuals in Xiao Tianci's residence.]

[You found a large number of Secret Manuals, but you only took three top-tier Cultivation Techniques: Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, Subtle Steps of Ling Bo, and Formless Divine Art.]

[Three days later, the Yan Emperor passed away, and a two-year-old infant emperor ascended the throne.]

[Year Twenty-Two, the world was in chaos, the Jin Dynasty invaded, the people were destitute, and the Yan Dynasty existed in name only.]

[Year Twenty-Three,]

[Thanks to the earth vein spiritual milk, your Cultivation speed improved rapidly, and you successfully achieved a Breakthrough to the Late Stage of Great Grandmaster.]

[You also created your first martial art—the "Dragon Subduing Tiger Taming Fist." A single punch would manifest True Yuan into a Dragon, which would explode upon hitting the target, much like setting off fireworks.]

[Xue Miaoyun thought the name was too rustic, and after winning at rock-paper-scissors, she forcibly renamed it the "Rainbow Thunderbolt Palm."]

[Year Twenty-Four,]

[You painstakingly practiced the top-tier Cultivation Techniques: Vajra Indestructible Divine Art, Subtle Steps of Ling Bo, and Formless Divine Art, but you remained unable to even reach the entry level, which left you feeling dejected.]

[Year Twenty-Five,]

[The Imperial Capital was calm on the surface, but in the shadows, the four major powers began their overt and covert struggles.]

[After arriving at the Cheng Residence, you were direct: "First win over Yue Tianxiong, stabilize Cold Dustless, and concentrate our forces to eliminate Fang Yanbo."]

[Cheng Wenbo hesitated: "What if they don't agree?"]

["As long as the conditions are enticing enough, they will surely agree. Fang Yanbo holds the military power; if we don't strike first, you will be defeated one by one."]

[Seeing his hesitation, you continued: "Don't worry, I will assist you from the shadows."]

[Cheng Wenbo immediately made the decision to agree, and he stated that afterwards, he required you to marry Cheng Rongrong; you agreed on the spot.]

[A month later, the three families of Cheng Wenbo, Yue Tianxiong, and Cold Dustless joined forces and directly wiped out the Dukes Residence, and Fang Yanbo was also killed.]

[You couldn't help but marvel: This Cheng Wenbo was truly capable, actually managing to persuade the other two families.]

[After the event, Cheng Wenbo quickly took over the military power and thoroughly purged the forces of the Dukes Residence, replacing them all with his own people.]

[Year Twenty-Six,]

[Yue Tianxiong and Cold Dustless led their men to surround the Cheng Residence.]

["Cheng Wenbo, when we joined forces to get rid of Fang Yanbo, we knew you would eventually deal with us, so don't blame us for striking first," Yue Tianxiong sneered.]

[Cheng Wenbo's face was tense: "Gentlemen, we have collaborated after all, let's discuss things properly..."]

["Why waste words with him!" Cold Dustless waved his hand, and the experts of the Martial Alliance and the Imperial City Guard immediately charged into the Cheng Residence.]

[What they didn't expect was that the Cheng Residence had long since prepared an ambush, and the two sides fought until blood flowed like a river.]

[Meanwhile, the three Great Grandmasters were engaged in a fierce battle in mid-air, each clash of palms producing a deafening roar.]

[At the critical moment, you and Xue Yuntao, who were lurking in the shadows, suddenly attacked, striking towards Yue Tianxiong and Cold Dustless respectively.]

[Cold Dustless suddenly turned his head, just in time to see Xue Yuntao's spear thrusting towards him. He couldn't dodge in time, and his head was sliced off by the spear.]

[His head spun in the air, his eyes wide and bulging, filled with terror.]

[At the same time, you executed the Soaring Dragon Steps and threw a punch at Yue Tianxiong. The fist wind transformed into a soaring dragon, letting out a deafening dragon roar.]

[Yue Tianxiong broke into a cold sweat and hurriedly dodged. Cheng Wenbo took the opportunity to strike, slamming a palm onto his forehead.]

["Crack!" His skull shattered, brains splattered out, and he died on the spot with his eyes wide open.]

[With Yue Tianxiong and Cold Dustless dead, the people of the Martial Alliance and the Imperial City Guard were all dumbfounded.]

[You shouted loudly: "Surrender and you shall not be killed!"]

[The Martial Alliance's Hall Master, Chang Qingyi, was the first to surrender: "I surrender."]

[You smiled at him: "Good, from now on, you are the new Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance."]

[After saying that, you threw him a "realm breaking pill."]

[Looking at the realm breaking pill in his hand, Chang Qingyi knelt on the ground, his hands trembling: "This subordinate swears his life in loyalty!"]

[No one knew that the two of you were merely putting on an act.]